Rosewood Abbey

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Overview

Rosewood Abbey is a roleplaying game about upholding the truth no matter the consequences. 

It is inspired by Umberto Eco’s novel The Name of the Rose, its 1986 film adaptation, and the British mystery television series Cadfael.

This Carved from Brindlewood (PbtA) game is for 3 to 6 players. It works well for one-shots but truly shines for short campaigns, thanks to its unique "Rumor Mill" story-building mechanism.

The Fratres Herodoti comprise an informal brotherhood of scholars who swore an oath to knowledge and truth. The mysteries these Friars, the player characters, investigate are often mundane and unrelated to one another. 

Nonetheless, at the Abbazia di Palissandro, Rosewood Abbey, other monks, and their flock are prone to interpret situations as either the work of God or that of maleficent spirits. As rumors spread out of proportion, the papacy becomes compelled to settle the veracity of alleged miracles or heresies. 

Will the Friars uphold their oath?

Carved from Brindlewood

"Carved from Brindlewood" means that the game is directly adapted from the roleplaying game Brindlewood Bay with the blessing of the author, Jason Cordova. 

Content Warning

Rosewood Abbey has roots in Walloon, Flemish, and European folklore, which is often irreverent towards religion. The world-renowned paintings by Hieronymus Bosch offer an excellent sample of this spirit. This game engages with images of the Catholic Church and God, as well as actions Christians consider to be sinful or virtuous. These actions can include crimes, blasphemy, intimate and sexual acts, and violence and murder. Play only with explicit consent from all participants regarding themes they are willing to engage with, or not—see the Collaboration Sheet included in the game’s Handouts section. Use of common safety tools, such as the X-Card or Lines & Veils, is recommended. While in continuation of the tradition paillarde, European bawdy folkloric tales and songs, this game isn’t intended as a commentary on contemporary religious beliefs and practices. Rosewood Abbey is not a statement about divine interventions in our own world (nervous laugh).

Mysteries 

This updated text features three mysteries. 

- The Rose in the Garden (expanded) 

- Mocking Grotesquery by Sean F Smith

- Fugit Inreparabile Tempus 

Character Keeper

A Gdoc Character Keeper is available here (updated on 26/12/2023).

Please make a copy before using it.